( 284 ) 



the Bay, it is rendered so conspicuous from the snowy whiteness of 

 its plumage, that it seldom passes unobserved by the gunner. 



Wilson found this species breeding among the red cedars of 

 Somer's Beach, on the sea coast of Cape May] " Some trees con- 

 tained three, others four nests, built wholly of sticks. Each had in 

 it three eggs, of a pale greenish-blue color, and measuring an inch 

 and three quarters in length, by an inch and a quarter in thickness 

 — which are well tasted." 



The Snowy Heron visits us late in the spring, and is observed 

 on the salt marshes until late in the autumn, though usually it mi- 

 grates southward about the last of September. 



ARDEA VIRESCENS— LINN. 



GREEN HERON. 



Ardea virescens, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Ardea virescens, Bonap. Syn. 



Green Heron, Nutt. Man. 



Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Bill black, lighter beneath ; from the corner 

 of the mouth to the point three inches ; length of tarsi one and 

 seven-eighths ; legs and feet yellow. Adult with the upper part 

 of the head deep green ; the feathers rather long; a short band of 

 the same color below the eye ; sides of the head, sides, and hind 

 part of the neck, reddish-brown, tinged with purple; a band of 

 white, spotted with dusky, extending the entire length of the fore 

 neck ; lower parts purplish, tinged with yellow ; the fore part of 

 the back is furnished with long, narrow, purplish-green feathers ; 

 primaries and outer secondaries brown ; a small spot of white on 

 the tips of the latter ; the outer webs of both tinged with bluish- 

 green ; inner secondaries, wing coverts, tertials and scapulars, 

 green, bordered with yellowish-white ; hind part of back and tail 

 deep green. Length eighteen inches, wing seven and a quarter. 

 Young without the long feathers on the back, the lower parts 

 chiefly white. 



